Chesterfield County withdraws financial support of The Diamond

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WTVR)– Chesterfield County wants out of the Diamond.

As it gets closer to baseball season at the Diamond, there’s major buzz about Chesterfield County leaders pulling out financial support for the aging facility.

“The city has asked us to support them in returning the Diamond to the city,” said James Stegmaier, Chesterfield County Administrator.

During the recent Richmond Metropolitan Authority monthly meeting, a Chesterfield board member said the county didn’t want to play ball anymore, after the General Assembly failed to get the county equal seats on RMA’S board.

Stegmaier told CBS 6 that the agreement was for the City of Richmond to control some downtown parking decks and land under the Diamond when baseball season ends.

“The city has identified very creatively some interesting options for developing a new baseball property. And they need control of the Boulevard property to make that work,” said Stegmaier.

The Diamond still needs work done on the facilities and stadium.

Chesterfield had agreed to pay $100,000 dollars to put up new lights up at the stadium, but Stegmaier says knowing what city leaders have in mind, there’s now no need for the county to spend those dollars.

“The issue there is whether or not you replace the lighting at the Diamond knowing that it’s the city’s plan in a very short time to build a new stadium,” said Stegmaier.

Now the question remains when and where that new stadium and ballpark will go. The Richmond Flying Squirrels are keeping their focus on the fans.

“It’s our responsibility to our fan base to not get caught up in any crossfire politically or whatever it might be. And really focus on making this place as good as it can be for April 4th,” said Todd “Parney” Parnell, C.O.O., Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Parnell says 30 percent of the fan base during the baseball season are Chesterfield residents. And the Richmond Flying Squirrels are working very closely with those county businesses and schools involved in activities at the Diamond for the upcoming season.

“We’re here to make memories for people and we can’t let things affect us that we can’t control. We got to continue to control the things that we can and make an impact on people’s lives,” said Parnell.